Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero

Most Ven.
Agga Maha Pandita Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero
Ananda Maitreya Thero
TitlePresident of Amarapura Nikaya
Vice Chancellor of Vidyodaya University
Chancellor of Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka
Professor of Buddhism
Abidhadja Maharattaguru[1]
Agga Maha Pandita[2]
Thripitaka Vaagishwaracharya Pravachana Visharada Raajakeeya Panditha
Saahithyasuuri
Saahithya Chakrawarthi
Personal
Born
Punchi Mahattaya

(1896-08-23)23 August 1896
Balangoda, British Ceylon
Died18 July 1998(1998-07-18) (aged 101)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
ReligionBuddhism
NationalitySri Lankan
SchoolAnanda College
LineageAmarapura Sect

Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero (Sinhala: අග්ග මහා පණ්ඩිත බලංගොඩ ආනන්ද මෛත්‍රෙය මහා නා හිමිපාණන් වහන්සේ) (23 August 1896 — 18 July 1998) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who was one of the most distinguished scholars and expositors of Theravada Buddhism in the twentieth century.[3][4] He was highly respected by Sri Lankan Buddhists, who believed that he had achieved a higher level of spiritual development.[2][5] Sri Lankan Buddhists also considered Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero as a Bodhisattva, who will attain Buddhahood in a future life.

Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero lived a modest life and did a great service for the propagation of Buddhist philosophy. In recognition of his valuable service at the Sixth Buddhist council held in Burma, the Burmese government conferred on him the title of Agga Maha Pandita (Chief Great Scholar) in 1956. Later in March 1997, the Burmese government conferred on Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero the highest Sangha title, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru (Most Eminent Great Spiritual Teacher), which is equivalent to Sangharaja, in honor of his unique service to the Buddhist religion.[3][6]

  1. ^ "Religious and Cultural Relations". Aggamaha Panditha Awardees. Embassy of Myanmar Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference xy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya: A Personal Appreciation". Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. 2009. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Famous People and the impact of the Theosophical Society". Katinka Hesselink. Archived from the original on 25 April 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  5. ^ Wijenayake, Walter (17 July 2010). "Most Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maithreya thera". Sri Lanka Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 August 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Ajivatthamaka Sila (Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth) in Burmese Buddhism". Buddhist Group of Kendal. 2015.